A Changed Man
by For My Personal Pleasure
Summary: What would happen if Darkness returned to reclaim Stevie Rae's unpaid debt? Would she live, or die? What would Rephaim do? Would he have to surrender to the beast he swore to keep locked up? What if he were to let it out, even if just briefly? Would it change his decision on Light or Darkness? (Picture from KatWynn47 -deviantart(.)com)
1. Chapter 1

**Alright:) So for those who read my Author's Notes in ****_Forgotten Memories_****, this is the story I was talking about that I've been working on for a while. This has also been another idea of mine floating around in my head, uselessly until now!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the House of Night series or its amazing characters! It belongs to P.C. and Kristen Cast!**

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_**Rephaim**_

"_Stevie Rae!_" Rephaim yelled in despair as her legs were yanked out from under her by thick strands of Darkness.

She hit the ground hard, her breath leaving her in a pain-filled gasp. They began dragging her back towards a murky fog that had began to billow out from under the broken tree by the east wall. Her fingers dug into the ground, trying desperately to keep herself from being pulled back to the thing they both feared the most.

"Rephaim, help me!" Her voice cracked his heart.

The strands of Darkness tightened, cutting through her jeans and into her flesh. Blood welled up instantly and began running down the lengths of her legs. An agonized scream ripped itself out of her throat, echoing throughout the air around them.

Rephaim dove towards her, catching her hands just in time when Darkness started to jerk back again. Fear ran through his veins like freezing liquid lead, encasing his heart in an icy cage of terror. Her hands squeezed his with iron hard strength, and he eagerly held on just as tight. He heard the sound of many rapid footsteps running their way, gasps of horror following in their wake.

Stevie Rae cried out when more whips lashed through her clothing and into more of her skin. She was gradually slipping from his grasp, no matter how hard he held on and pulled back, and being drug back towards the black haze, towards the cracked tree.

A laughter too familiar in it's deepness and wickedness shot out from the smog, followed by another recognizeable one. The first one blared through their minds, almost deafeningly loud. The other was more feminine and mad.

"No." Rephaim whispered, looking up within the shadows. Two sets of eyes stared back at him in pleasure: one blood red, one moss green.

"No!" This time he snarled the word, letting anger and hatred rule over his fear and vulnerability.

Instead of attacking and killing and putting an end to his anger like he was used to, Rephaim channeled his hatred towards Darkness into protecting Stevie Rae. Taking a deep breath, he gripped both of her hands in his and tugged her closer, digging his heels into the soft dirt beneath his feet.

_Did you honestly think that you could keep her away from me forever?_

It was then that Rephaim saw the tips of its horns poke out of the dense mist before it fully manifested before them. Another wave of dismay skirted up his spine. Zoey and the rest behind them fell silent. Not a single one of them had ever come face to face with Darkness except Stevie Rae and neither would she had it not been for the sake of saving her best friend.

Then, with one smooth jerk, Stevie Rae was ripped from his grasp completely, disappearing into the black fog. The only traces that she had ever been there at all were the red finger marks of her hold on him, the upturned dirt and crisp grass, and the concerning pool of blood. There was an ear-piercing scream that Rephaim knew belonged to her.

Without a thought of what he was going to do to save her, Rephaim gave a furious shout and ran in after her, his feet pounding fiercely against the earth, propelling him forwards.

He had to stop once he was in and look around, turning round and round in circles, searching for her. He was just about to take off in one direction when another scream pushed him towards another. It seemed like forever until he found her, suspended in air by Darkness. Her blood poured off of her, forming a huge puddle under her. The white bull stood near her, tracing each laceration with his tongue. With each lick of her shredded skin, Stevie Rae sobbed in agony. He could feel the fiery pain inside his body as if it was his own.

"No, please! I paid my debt already! Please let me go!"

Rephaim swallowed back the growl that was building in his throat and clenched his hands into fists. Little did he realize that in his right hand was the Guardian Claymore. Little did he know that the cross-guard had changed into a pair of wings, carved from onyx, that curled inwards around a circular ruby.

Little did he notice that with each hate-filled step he took, his skin was being etched with a silver design up the lengths of his arms, along the sides of his face, across the stretch of his collar bone, and down and over his shoulders and neck.

Squeezing his fingers around the handle of the sword, Rephaim took another deep breath, causing the white bull to look up.

His blood red eyes widened with curiosity. _Well, well. What do we have here? You are that same ignorant Raven Mocker who intruded before, are you not? Seems as though that wretched Nyx is taking quite good care of you. _

This received a feral hiss from somewhere deep within him, somewhere so deep that it even shocked Rephaim. Narrowing his eyes in hostility, he continued to stalk towards where Stevie Rae hung by her ankle in the air. Her face was red from being held upside down too long, her hair and clothes stained with her blood. Pink tinted tears traced their way down her face and over her cheeks.

_Oh, little red vampyre_, the white bull sneered_, this should be a treat for you to witness_.

Then, with one last lap of her blood, the horrid creature took one large hoof and brought down at an alarming speed. When it made contact with the earth, it made a small crack. Darkness seeped out from the crack, gathering along the edges of it and rising up and up and up. Rephaim watched, frozen from the vibrations of the impact, as the large lumps of Darkness formed into bodies. Arms stretched outwards, legs took steps in his direction, heads rose from their bowing positions. They remained black with no particular features or looks to them. They were all made of the same black quivering threads that mended together to form something similar to flesh with glowing red orbs for eyes.

Never in his centuries of fighting on the side of Darkness had he ever seen something so pure evil, so vile.

_I do believe me and the Red One will watch as you struggle to overcome my dark creations_.

And, with the white bull's comment, the black beings began to move faster, more precise and enraged.

Rephaim had to thank his father for being as quick and strong as he was. Had he been a regular mortal with dull senses and slow reactions, he would already be dead.

He had just locked eyes with Stevie Rae and caught her mouth _I love you _right before the first demon brought his arm swinging towards Rephaim's head. Rephaim hadn't noticed that instead of regular fingernails they had long pointed claws like a tiger. He also didn't notice that they only had sharp fangs instead of regular teeth. They were taller than him, probably taller than Kalona, and were thicker than him as well.

Rephaim ducked, stepping under it's dark arm and getting closer than he would have liked to be. He took the Guardian Claymore and brought it down at the spot it's shoulder and neck connected and sliced through it completely. Dark blood spewed from the creature as it disintegrated back into frightened threads of Darkness and shot back towards the crack in the ground.

Shocked, Rephaim shivered from an unwanted desire to kill and destroy each and every one of these monstrosities. Something in his chest stirred as it remembered the feeling of taking one's life away without one thought about it.

_No! I am not like that anymore. I must do this to protect Stevie Rae, to save her_, his mind screamed outrageously.

A cruel smile tilted the corners of his mouth upwards as the second beast descended on him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I'm back:) I'm so glad it's Friday! Now I have all weekend to work on my stories (and, sadly, homework, too):) I would like to thank all the ones who reviewed and read my story:) Means so much:) **

**Special Thanks To:**

**rockprincess77**

**and**

**NataONE**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the House of Night series or its mysterious characters! They belong to P.C. and Kristen Cast!**

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Rephaim allowed himself to fall back into the clutches of his dark past. He swung and hacked and cut and slashed through each monster, laughing as they skirted away from him. He leapt over them, slicing through them overhead. He ducked and dodged their swift and powerful strikes. His chest was light with cold memories and heavy with realization of what he was doing.

The monster within him was breaking down it's cage. Rephaim knew he couldn't control it, he never had been able to. There were still times when he thought he was losing his grip on humanity, even around Stevie Rae. Whenever he remembered Stevie Rae his anger vanished, his skin cooling tremendously.

He tried to think of Stevie Rae now but that just pushed him on. She was the reason he was doing this. He had to get to her, reach her, and protect her. He had to keep her safe.

After the last abomination disappeared down the crevice in the earth, Rephaim blinked, looking around him. They were still encased in the dark smog, Stevie Rae still crying in agony as the white bull drank from her, savoring the lifeblood they shared.

Wiping the black blood, that had splattered his face before, and the thick sweat from his face, Rephaim let the sword drag behind him, leaving a straight line of dirt upturned in it's wake. The bull was exclusively lost in Stevie Rae now and wasn't expecting Rephaim to send the heavy blade of the Guardian Claymore into it's back. It cut right through the dense white coat, fatty skin, and muscle of the creature.

It let out a bellow so loud and raw that it had Rephaim's ears ringing. He refused to let go of the sword to cover his ears from the sound.

The creature of Darkness whipped it's head around towards him, piercing him with those glowing red eyes. For a moment, Rephaim was immobilized with fear.

The white bull snarled and sent Rephaim flying backwards with the sword skittering a few feet away from him. Sitting up as quickly as he could, he reached for the sword, gripping the handle. When Rephaim turned his gaze back up to look for it, he was surprised to see Neferet. She was the other laugh he had heard.

"It is nice to see you again, Rephaim. I have seen you a few times since you have been gifted with your human form but up until now I haven't noticed how much you resemble that damned father of yours." She smiled at him sweetly and began to make her way towards him. "Oh, my. Looks like you have an unfortunate cut on your arm."

Rephaim glanced down at his arms and saw nothing. When he looked back up at Neferet, she had gotten closer. It was then that he realized what she meant.

Out of the corner of his eye, Rephaim saw the black whip just as it curled around his arm and yanked him to her. He felt it tear through each layer of skin like a knife through butter. He resisted the urge to scream out in pain for Stevie Rae's sake.

To his disgust, Neferet leaned into him, barely a foot away, and sniffed the air around him with a sigh. "You smell just like him, too. Well, aside from Stevie Rae's sickeningly sweet odor all over you. No doubt you probably taste the same..."

Another whip lashed out from the fog, wrapping around his other arm. Then another followed by another, coiling around his legs and knocking him to his knees in front of her.

"Don't you _dare_ touch him, Neferet! Or I swear that I'll kill you myself!" Stevie Rae snarled from her position in the air.

His heart fluttered at how strong she sounded. He glanced at her and saw that her eyes had taken on a reddish tint in fury.

One last dark snake forced his head up to meet Neferet's haughty glare, exposing his neck completely. Rephaim tried furiously to escape the shackles Darkness had formed around him.

The Tsi Sgili cackled, raising the hairs on his arms. "Please, child. If Zoey cannot kill me, what makes you think that you can?"

Stevie Rae looked her dead in the eye and said calmly,"Because I have killed people before and not felt nothin' about it. Zoey would hesitate. And I _promise_ you that I won't."

Neferet shrugged, unfazed by her threat. She even seemed amused by it.

But Rephaim knew better.

He could see that her moss green eyes had widened the slightest bit and her face had paled just a shade lighter. He wasn't fooled by her powerful and pretty appearance.

She turned back to him and tapped her chin considering. "Hm, what to do with you..." She slowly began to walk around him in a circle, inspecting him. "Well, I would most certainly love to have a little taste of you but I do not want to smell _her_ on you."

Stevie Rae was yelling and hollering vile things at Neferet, pausing to scream in pain as the bull continuously drank from her. She was struggling against him again now, thrashing and kicking, snarling and nipping back at him.

"_Let me go!_" She shrieked in the loudest girl scream Rephaim has ever heard.

"Oh!" Neferet smiled, stopping in front of him once again. "I know what I will do. I will just simply break your Imprint to her."

As much as he hated it at times, Rephaim couldn't help but feel desperate and frantic at the thought of its disappearance. It made him feel close to Stevie Rae and it was the only thing that reassured him of how much she truly did love him.

_"No!" _The two of them yelled together in panic.

Rephaim continued to attempt to break free. He shaking his head back and forth rapidly and jerking his arms loose. With each movement, the threads cut deeper and deeper into his skin. He still refused to scream.

Bleeding, Rephaim shoved Neferet away from him as hard as he could and lunged for the Guardian Claymore. This time he did cry out in agony as the razor-like threads dug through his jeans and raked against his skin. With a growl so full of hatred, Rephaim turned and cut the clinging strands of Darkness from him.

When he was up, all he wanted to do was run to Stevie Rae, save her, get her out of there but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't defeat the white bull himself. That was impossible. He had to do something, and quick. Stevie Rae had gone limp from trying to get free and get to him, though she was still conscience even if it was still barely. Neferet was up and after him, calling Darkness to her.

He had to do something!

_Distract Darkness_, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. _Do something that will distract it away from her_...

Rephaim could have jumped for joy.

He spun around quickly and met Neferet. She was apparently not expecting him to turn back to her as fast as he did. She rose her hands and stretched them out to him, murmuring something dark and evil. While her abdomen was completely exposed, Rephaim took the advantage to drill the sword right through her, pushing the blade up and under her ribs.

She coughed, spitting blood on his face. Glaring back at her, Rephaim twisted the blade sharply. Neferet slowly sank to her knees, muttering and cursing silently, her eyes going blank. He knew he hadn't killed her, no, this would be too easy. She was completely immortal now, and it was almost close to impossible to kill one.

_My heartless one! _The white bull froze, his red eyes focusing on the now still Tsi Sgili. Then his eyes darted to Rephaim as he slid the blade out of her and wiped it off with the remaining scrapes of his jeans.

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**Tell me what ya think:) I've been working like super-duper hard on this so your reviews seriously help!**

**-RephaimStevieRae**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello:) I know, two chapters so close together! I'm on a roll! I have no special thanks this time 'cause no one's reviewed Chapter 2 yet, but I'll have some come Chapter 4:) **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the House of Night series or its beautiful characters! They belong to P.C. and Kristen Cast!**

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_You! _The creature screamed at him. _You did this! You will pay! You and you're damned Red One!_

Huffing angrily out of it's huge nostrils, it took off, it's hooves hammering against the earth. Rephaim watched as the smoke curled around it's legs as it ran, engulfing it until it was completely invisible. Slowly, the smoke began to fade away, traveling in separate directions with the remaining Darkness melting into the shadows around them.

He had just enough time to jam the sword into the soft mud and dash towards Stevie Rae before she was slammed to the ground. He caught her in his arms but his footing failed, slipping on her blood. They hit the blood-soaked grass with Rephaim pulling her to him as he shielded her with his body, absorbing the rough impact.

When he opened his eyes, his back was drenched with her blood, _their_ blood, and she was gasping in his arms, safe and alive.

Safe. And. Alive.

Without thinking, Rephaim squeezed her tightly, not caring about the blood, his and hers, that coated them both. She let out an agonized shriek in his ear which had him jerking back and letting go.

Tears made clean tracks down her muddy, bloody face.

"Stevie Rae?" He asked tentatively. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

She nodded honestly, breaking his heart at her answer.

"I-it's just the cuts, Rephaim...not you...never you..." She began shaking her head, her voice trailing off.

"Stevie Rae! Rephaim!"

His head snapped up, sitting up, his arms going around her, carefully, protectively. He saw Zoey and the others run towards them, including his father and Thanatos. With slow and precise movements, Rephaim positioned his arms so they were under Stevie Rae's shoulders and knees as he stood, carrying her like a small child.

She looked so frail and injured in his arms. Her face was pale underneath the thin layer of bloody dirt, making her red tattoos glow against her skin. Her eyes were distant, staring off into space behind his head. Her lips trembled slightly from the sobs she was desperately holding back. She was breathing rapidly in shallow pants.

He didn't pay much attention to any of them when they finally reached the two. Instead, Rephaim started walking off towards the Infirmary, his eyes never leaving her face, not even when she finally gave in and fainted.

"No." Rephaim told the vampyre nurse sternly. "That is not an option. You can either help her or I can go somewhere else and get the help she needs. It is a simple as that."

The damned woman was getting on his last remaining nerve. She obviously was just as irritated with him as he was with her. Her icy blue eyes had hardened and her lips had thinned in agitation. He knew that angering a woman, a vampyre one at that, never solved anything but he couldn't help it. Stevie Rae was hurt and wasn't getting any better just lying in his arms as she continued to bleed all over him and the white tiles.

"I do not take orders from anyone, especially you." She sneered at him, moving from around the counter and to a desk. "The only ones I do follow are Nyx and my High Priestess."

"She may not be your High Priestess but she is still one and is just as faithful to Nyx as you are. I am not repeating myself again. Death is not an option; help her or I will find someone else who is actually worth my time!" Rephaim could feel himself getting frustrated with her. His voice was getting louder, more insane, with each word he spoke.

The vampyre nurse looked up at him, enraged and offended. "Then lea-"

"Sapphire." A voice full of authority spoke up from behind him. "You will aid to this young Priestess. She is invaluable to Nyx and, whether you like it or not, she does play an important role in our future. She will help us in the battle against Neferet, she will help Zoey defeat her. Without medical attention now, we might lose any possible chance in winning our war against Neferet."

Shocked at what he was hearing, Rephaim turned to see Kalona walking beside Thanatos as they came to stand next to him at the counter. There was a slight breeze inside even though the doors were closed, lifting her hair and rustling the skirt of her gown.

Rephaim stared at the vampyre nurse in satisfaction as she prepared the bed for Stevie Rae in another room. She grabbed a steel tray and headed towards cabinets, placing gauze, thread, needles, a bottle of cleaning alcohol, and a bowl of cotton balls on it.

"Go set her on the bed." Her words were clipped and mean.

Reluctant to obey her commands, Rephaim gently laid Stevie Rae down on the cot, wincing as her blood immediately stained the white sheets. He positioned her head so it was propped up against the pillows.

"Well, don't just stand there! Someone help me clean her off." Sapphire set the tray with the supplies on the table beside the bed and instantly got to work.

"Sapphire, sister. They would help you if they knew how." Lenobia spoke up from the door to the room. Rephaim could make out a shadow of a cowboy hat and knew Travis was with her. "Here; let me help you."

The two of them began to clean the blood and mud off of her body, starting with the easiest parts of her: her arms, legs, and face. They used soap and water and some small towels in a drawer. They had to rinse the bowl out three times and use several towels to get her half way decent before they could start with the rest of her.

The whole time they washed the grime from her flesh, Rephaim's eyes never left her face. She looked so pained and tired, it was all Rephaim could do not to weep in sorrow. He could feel the agony that haunted her body, even asleep. It burned as if it were melting away each of his skin cells and muscle tissue, eating away at everything.

Tears stung his eyes, threatening to escape off his lashes and drip down his face. He felt as if his heart was breaking, each beat was torture.

Before they began to remove Stevie Rae's clothes to tend to the filth underneath them, the vampyres glanced at Rephaim and Kalona. Rephaim didn't notice when Thanatos and his father exchanged glances until he was lifted by his elbows and carried from the room. He didn't resist, though he wanted to, he understood.

Outside of Stevie Rae's room were all of her friends. Zoey and Stark were huddled together in a corner, whispering urgently to one another. Shaunee sat on one of the chairs, her knees pulled up to her chest with her forehead resting on them. Damien was sobbing into Duchess' fur as the dog whined heartbrokenly. Aphrodite was sprawled out on a couch, with her head in Darius' lap, her eyes closed in concentration. They all wore the same expression: concern and anguish.

Without a word, Rephaim picked the chair farthest from them all in a dark corner. There he began to grieve. He cried out all the confusion he's felt since he met her, all the suffering he's experienced since he fell for her, everything. He bawled until he couldn't feel anything except the numbness in his chest, and even after that.

He could feel his father watching him break down into nothing, not knowing what to do to comfort his son. Rephaim did not want to talk to anyone or have them talk to him. He wanted to be left alone. The others must have felt this from him because they did leave him alone.

No one spoke until Lenobia came out and uttered,"She's awake."

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**Wow! Talk about crazy! Sapphire is just an idiot. She obviously is just a hateful person. So, anyway, how was it? I hope you like it:) Please, please, ****_please_**** review! I cannot stress this enough! It really helps me out when you do!**

**-RephaimStevieRae**


	4. Chapter 4

**It's me again! I hope you missed me! I'm here with Chapter 4:) This one took me a while to work on so I hope you like it a lot:)**

**Special Thanks To:**

**rockprincess77**

**and**

**SmilesSaveLives**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the House of Night series or its fantastic characters! It belongs to P.C. and Kristen Cast!**

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**_Stevie Rae_**

Waking up was difficult. It was like some fat turkey was laying hundred pound eggs on her chest, her whole body. She felt awful. Breathing was even worse. Whenever she inhaled it was as if she were inhaling fire. It burned down her throat, inside her chest, and radiated all through out her body, inside and out.

She knew she had to open her eyes. And soon, too. She could feel Rephaim's distress, which rarely ever happened. They may have been Imprinted but Stevie Rae wasn't used to feeling his emotions as he was to hers. He often asked her what was wrong at the exact moments she was feeling irritated or depressed. Not to mention, he knew when she was lying even when the rest of her friends couldn't.

Feeling his emotions was different. The only other time she ever had was back when she was readjusting his wing after they had recently Imprinted. It had been absolutely mind-numbingly painful. She still had no clue on how he could have dealt with it as though it was only a frustrating itch.

He was upset. No, he was more than upset. He was sobbing horribly at that. It made her want to cry because, never before, she had never seen, or felt, him cry. Except for Dragon's funeral but even then she hadn't felt how devastatingly heartbroken he was.

Taking in a slow deep breath, she forced herself to open her eyes. The light above her wasn't bright at all but it blinded her, tears burning in her eyes. She blinked them away, her eyes slowly adjusting.

Where was she? It certainly looked familiar. The white tiles, beige walls, semi-low ceilings with hanging oil lamps. There was also beeping monitors that were giving her a massive headache.

"She's awake!" A voice whispered in shock.

She looked up to see Sapphire, one of the vampyre nurses leaning over her right arm, wrapping it in a thick white bandage. Already Stevie Rae could see it was dotted with big, bloody blooms of red.

_Am I really bleedin' this much? _she thought to herself.

"Lenobia, go tell the others. She needs blood." Sapphire glance back down at her. "And soon."

Stevie Rae's eyes followed Lenobia through the twin glass doors. She couldn't see anything besides that so she let her eyes wander. She was in the Infirmary. It made sense to her now since she saw Sapphire. _Why am I here this time?_

Flashes of the white bull licking her shredded skin and Rephaim, looking strong and glorious, slicing through-through _things _that were so awful they didn't have a name. The scenes made her shudder in fear which caused blood to seep quicker through the bandages. She moaned in pain and let her head go limp against the pillow. Black spots danced and bounded across the ceiling above her. They refused to leave her sight so she started to absently count them. She quickly gave up, getting angry by their refusal of staying still.

There was the sound of feet shuffling and a door opening. Stevie Rae didn't look to see who had come in this time. She was just focusing on trying to see straight.

In the background, she could hear mumbling of voices. They were trying to stay quite enough so that she couldn't hear them.

"I'm not stupid. I know y'all are talkin' 'bout me. If I'm gonna die just tell me. I deserve to know the truth," she snapped, but her voice was barely a whisper.

They had heard her though. It was obvious that they did because the next voice made her lift her head.

"No," Rephaim said sternly. "I refuse to let you die, Stevie Rae. Aslong as I am here, I will find a way to prevent that from happening."

Her eyes locked with his and she almost forgot to breathe. He was...stunning. Absolutely breathtaking. He seemed to have grown taller, his muscles more defined. But that wasn't what captivated Stevie Rae. Symbols and markings and designs of feathers and swirls decorated his tanned skin. They traveled down his arms, up the sides of his neck, framed the sides of his face, along his jaw, underneath his eyes. There was no crescent moon in the center of his forehead where the swirls began. His eyes were beautiful. Dark and mysterious as always but the color had shifted some. They had been a medium, chocolate brown. Now, they were brown with dashes and sprinkles of amber.

"Well, she is going to die if she does not get blood into her system soon." Sapphire snapped, breaking Stevie Rae of her trance.

While Stevie Rae had been gazing at him, she had noticed that the weight of her body had lightened considerably. Her blood that had been warm underneath her and soaked into the bandages was now hot. Her sight had become fuzzy, colors somewhat merging together.

Rephaim walked over to her, touching her face carefully. She hadn't noticed how completely covered he was in blood. It wasn't all his though. Some of it was dark and incredibly disgusting looking.

He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it before taking one of her fingernails and pressing it to his wrist.

"Wait!" she protested weakly. "You're too hurt. Me takin' blood from you ain't gonna help any."

"It will help you and that is all that matters." Rephaim didn't wait for her to respond before slicing his flesh.

Blood followed her nail immediately, some drops catching on her finger. Before she could push him away, his other hand gripped the back of her neck, carefully, and covered her mouth with his wrist. The moment the first drop touched her tongue, Stevie Rae wanted to melt against him. It was better than the first time she had drank from after they had escaped the rooftop. It was sweeter than a human's blood, mixed with a bite of immortality.

Her reaction was instant. _She needed blood now_. One hand wrapped around his arm, her fingernails digging into his skin and drawing more blood, it beading on her fingers. Her other pulled him to her by the front of his shirt. The hand that had occupied the back of her neck slid down her back and rested at the lowest part of it, yanking her closer. She cried out against the flesh of his wrist at the burning pain it caused her but it was quickly whisked away.

She felt him bury his face in her hair and begin to kiss his way down her neck and along her collarbone. With each touch, she wanted to cry. With each mouthful of blood, she wanted to moan. There was a problem though. Stevie Rae couldn't get close enough to him.

Pulling back slightly, Stevie Rae climbed onto his lap, and sank her teeth back into his skin. The change coming over her was incredible. Her body was healing quickly. She could the wounds closing up and stitching themselves together. Electric heat sparks totally overwhelmed her. They always did whenever she was with him. Her body soon was covered by only jagged pink scars.

"Stevie Rae, that is enough. You do not need anymore." Lenobia's voice drifted to her.

I don't need anymore?

she echoed her. _But, I feel so good_...

"That is enough! If you wish to kill him, continue, but if you do not, then _stop_." Hands grabbed her arms and waist, pulling her back.

With a hiss of betrayal, Stevie Rae let go of him, sealing up the wound her teeth had made and the one he had made for her.

Rephaim collapsed, face-first, against the mattress of the Infirmary bed. He was still breathing but it was in short shallow pants.

"Ohmygoddness! Is he gonna be okay?!" She shrieked, checking his heartbeat. She found it to be surprisingly steady.

"He will be perfectly fine. He will just need rest to recover, Stevie Rae." Sapphire reassured her, her eyes forever cold.

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**Not to be pushy but what do ya think? I hope ya like it:) Like I seriously do:) I LIVE for your reviews! I look forward to reading them everyday after school:) I know. I'm sad. So! Read and review please! Thanks so much:)**

**-RephaimStevieRae**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone. I am afraid I have some news to share with you all. This is my last chapter for ****_A Changed Man_****. I hope you like this chapter as much as I do. **

**Special Thanks To:**

**NataONE**

**and**

**SmilesSaveLives**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the House of Night series or its exciting characters! It all belongs to P.C. and Kristen Cast!**

* * *

_**Rephaim**_

His head throbbed, his muscles screamed. With each beat of his heart, he wanted to groan in exhaustion and aching pain. He was tired after the encounter with Darkness again, killing those monsters had drained him of his energy. Letting Stevie Rae drink from him had healed her, of course, but he had not stopped to consider the consequences.

Rephaim sat up, holding his head in his hands to stop the spinning. He kept his eyes closed, forcing back the vomit that was rising up in his throat. Goddess, he felt awful.

Trying to forget the sickness he was feeling, Rephaim reached out through their Imprint, feeling for Stevie Rae. It put his concern at ease to feel that she was perfectly fine. Actually, she was buzzing with how much energy she had absorbed from his blood. But what puzzled him was the slight twinge of guilt intertwined with worry that she was feeling.

"It's not polite to be pickin' 'round at my feelings like that."

He opened his eyes just a crack and squinted up at her. She was standing beside the bed he was in, gazing down at him with a smile. She looked so much like an angel that he had to blink several times to make sure she was really there. He let his eyes scan over her, searching for any signs of unhealed gashes or remaining scars. There was none to be found.

"Hey, I'm fine. Thanks to you," she murmured, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

Rephaim locked eyes with her. "I just thought I would make sure. I keep almost losing you."

She nodded, tearing her eyes away. She looked so uncomfortable for some reason. Like she was feeling awkward sitting next to him. He couldn't feel anything else from her except the same guilt and worry from before.

"What's wrong?" He reached out and placed his hand on top of hers gently. Hers responded automatically, capturing his with her own, and locking it with her fingers.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted. "I took way too much from you than I should've. Goodness, I'm such a terrible person." Her head dropped, her other hand covering her face in distress.

What? She was feeling guilty because she took what she needed to to live? Rephaim shook his head. That didn't make any sense. He let her take as much as she wanted, needed. There was no reason for her to feel so ashamed of herself.

"Stevie Rae, you do not need to be sorry. If you were taking too much from me, I would have stopped you. You did what you needed to to survive and you should be thankful that you live. You are not a terrible person in doing so. Had I not offered myself to you, you would have a reason to feel sorry, but I did."

She took her hand away from her face, wiping it off on her jeans, but her head stayed lowered. Instead, she gazed up at him from under her blonde curls and lashes.

With a jolt, Rephaim finally noticed something about her. She had changed. He hadn't realized it before because of the dizziness.

Her hair had grown passed her shoulders, thicker and blonder, and stopped towards her shoulder blades. Her blue eyes remained the same, except the blue around her pupils looked more violet. His eyes traveled down, to where her hand was still resting, shaking, on her leg. She must have grown some as well, her legs were longer than he remembered but he couldn't tell with her sitting.

"Are ya sure?"

Her question snapped him back to her.

"More than sure." He looked away from her, blushing. There was no doubt that she had caught him staring at her.

"Finally! It's about damn time you woke up. Goddess, I hate this fucking place. You guys can kiss and fuck later, let's just go home already." Aphrodite's spiteful voice drifted towards them from the doorway.

Zoey pushed past her shaking her head. "You feeling better?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I agree with Aphrodite, let's leave." Rephaim nodded, pushing himself from the bed. If Stevie Rae hadn't gotten off the bed before he did, he would have fell right on his face in front of everyone.

His feet touched the ground just as his knees gave out from under him. Her hand caught his elbow, keeping him steady.

"You don't seem fine," Zoey gave him a doubtful glance. "Maybe we should just-"

"No, Z. If birdboy says he's fine; let him be. I'm sure as hell not questioning him." Aphrodite flipped her hair and spun around to stomp out the door with Darius on her heels.

"Do you honestly think you're okay enough to go home?"

Rephaim smiled at her. "Zoey, you worry too much for your own good. I am perfectly fine. Just a little dizzy, that is all."

"Alright..." she sighed.

Together, they all left the Infirmary, heading towards the bus. Rephaim needed Stevie Rae's help the whole way, her arm around his waist with his around her shoulders. He tried not to put too much of his weight on her. As much as he didn't like making her worry, he didn't mind having her help him. She was close to him, so close that he could feel the heat of her body and smell the sweet strawberry scent of her shampoo.

They were behind everyone else so when Stevie Rae turned to him, only he could hear her.

"Rephaim?"

"Yes, Stevie Rae?"

She waited silently for a few minutes. "How did you get your tattoos?"

"Well, I guess it was when I was fighting those creatures of Darkness." He said quietly, thinking back.

"Oh." There was another silence from her. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Defeat them all."

It was his turn to stay quiet. "I don't know. I let the beast inside take over, thinking only about protecting you."

She must of heard the shame in his voice. "Even beasts can do good."

"Yes, but they mostly do bad."

"I don't see," Stevie Rae began, her grip on him tightening,"why you are so convinced that the beast inside is bad. Obviously it ain't 'cause I'm still here."

"That is because you have not seen the bad it can do, Stevie Rae." Rephaim kissed her cheek, trying to keep her temper under control.

She shook her head sadly. "No, but that doesn't mean you can't teach it to do good. You just have to figure out how. Caging up a wild animal doesn't tame it over time, Rephaim. If anything it drives it even more crazy. Taking the time and patience to teach it is what tames it."

He let her words sink in, mulling over their possibility and truth. He didn't say anything until they were on the bus, pulling out of the House of Night half circle front driveway.

She was leaning her head on his shoulder so it was very easy of him to lean into her ear and whisper:"You're right, Stevie Rae. Except, that is with animals. Animals are not always the same as beasts. Some beasts cannot be tamed. I know that there is a way I could be tamed but when something happens to you, it is the beast I call forth to help me save you. If I were to tame it, I do not believe I could save you as often as I do."

She looked up at him, her eyes full of love and trust. "I never said to tame the beast, I said teach it. Teach it to do good. Teach it to keep me safe. Teach it to love me, and only me."

"It already does love you. As do I."

"I love you, too."

Rephaim kissed her gently. He didn't know how he could have lived without her before he was gifted with his human form. He didn't know how to he had been able to breathe, eat, drink, and live. Now, if he were to lose her, he knew he wouldn't have the strength to go on. He would give up, lose interest in life. She was his life. How could he live if he lost her? He couldn't; he would just be an empty shell of himself because she was everything to him. She was the sky he longed for above him, the air he breathed, the earth he lived in, the heart that cherished her, the strength he had, the love he had for her.

Stevie Rae was absolutely everything to him.

She had taken him in as a monster, showed him compassion and kindness, and turned him into a changed man.

And Rephaim would forever be thankful to and for her.

* * *

**I hope you guys really liked this short FanFic as much as I do:) I'm sorry I had to end it so short! Please read and review:) Tell me what you think about it:) Your reviews are so nice to read:) They inspire me to become a better writer:)**

**-RephaimStevieRae**


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